Abstract
Vasovagal reactions are common in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention under local anaesthetic, and most commonly present with a low heart rate and/or peripheral vasodilatation coupled with some degree of transient cerebral dysfunction, ranging from lightheadedness to a brief loss of consciousness. While normally brief, and often self-limiting, prompt recognition and treatment – and where possible prevention – of vasovagal reactions is an important skill for all interventional cardiologists. Several prophylactic measures such as the avoidance of dehydration, the reduction of pain perception with adequate analgesia and conscious sedation, the utilization of closure devices after removal of femoral arterial sheath and the intra-arterial administration of vasodilators in the radial artery approach, may be of great value.
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Kalogeropoulos, A.S., Lindsay, A. (2016). Preventing and Treating Vasovagal Reactions. In: Lindsay, A., Chitkara, K., Di Mario, C. (eds) Complications of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4959-0_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4959-0_1
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